Turkmenistan

Since president Kurbanguly Berdymuhamedov came to power in December 2006, natural gas-rich former Soviet state Turkmenistan has gradually opened up to international trade. However, travel abroad by Turkmen artists remains limited, leading to their exclusion from regional and international exhibitions.

The country’s art activity is confined almost entirely to the capital Ashgabat. The Museum of Fine Arts holds frequent exhibitions, including a centennial celebration of the national painter Muzafar Daneshvar (5/7) and a June exhibition with Nurendin Biyazov’s surreal paintings and tree sculptures by Oral Temirov. Group shows featured young artists, such as ceramicist Gulnara Rejebov, as well as a photography exhibit of Austrian artists in April.